Reclining chair fixture



June 18, 1963 N. w. MIZELLE 3,094,353

RECLINING CHAIR FIXTURE Filed July 26, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. NED W. MIZELLE wai JMW ATTORNEYS June 18, 1963 N, w. MIZELLE 3,094,353

RECLINING CHAIR FIXTURE Filed July 26, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG 3A FIG. 2A k xi I s INVENTOR. NED W. MIZELLE ATTORNEY3 June 18, 1963 N. w. MIZELLE RECLINING CHAIR FIXTURE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 26, 1960 INVENTOR. NED W. MIZELLE IIII. I II M' I A TTORNEYS June 18, 1963 N. w. MIZELLE 3,094,353

RECLINING CHAIR FIXTURE.

Filed July 26, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 51. a fievw' ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,094,353 RECLINENG CHAIR FIXTURE Ned W. Mizelie, High Point, N.C., assiguor to General Steel Products, Inc., High Point, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina Filed July 26, 196i), Ser. No. 45,356 14 Qiairns. (Cl. 297-85) This invention relates to reclining chair fixtures, and more particularly to three-way, three-position fixtures, the term three-way referring to a reclining chair assembly wherein the chair seat, back and leg rest are supported for movement relative to each other and to a stationary chair base, and the term three-position referring to reclining chair assemblies in which the chair elements may be supported in an intermediate or semi-reclined position in addition to the normal and fully reclined positions of the chair elements.

It is an object of the invention to provide a three-way, three-position reclining chair fixture wherein motion of the chair back relative to the chair seat is minimized during movement of the chair elements between their normal and intermediate reclined positions and wherein motion of the chair back relative to the chair seat is employed to shift the chair seat between its intermediate and fully reclined positions.

It is another object of the invention to provide a threeway, three-position reclining chair fixture wherein the chair seat and back are supported for movement relative to each other and to the stationary base by structure independent of structure employed to support the leg rest whereby variant forms of leg rest supporting linkages may be employed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a leg rest supporting linkage for use in a three-position reclining chair fixture wherein motion of the leg rest is controlled by motiton of the chair seat relative to the chair base in a manner such that substantially all motion of the leg rest relative to the seat occurs during movement of the seat between its normal and intermediate reclined positions.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a three-position reclining chair fixture wherein a leg rest is supported for movement relative to the chair seat by a linkage operated by movement of the chair seat relative to the base in which the leg rest is manipulated to remain in substantially fixed relationship to the chair seat during movement of the seat between its semi-reclined and fully reclined position.

The foregoing, and other objects are achieved in a reclining chair fixture in which a seat link adapted to be fixedly attached to the chair seat is supported for movement relative to a stationary base member by spaced front and rear support link structures. The rear support link structure consists of a single link pivoted at its lower end on the base member and at its upper end upon the seat link. Movement of the rear support link relative to the base is limited and occurs only during motion of the fixture between the normal and intermediate reclined positions. The front support link structure is constructed as a link means of variable length in which the distance between a fixed pivot on the base member and a pivot upon the seat link may be varied. A back link, supported for pivotal movement upon the rear end of the seat link is coupled to the front support link structure to vary the effective length of the front support link structure upon pivotal movement of the chair back relative to the chair seat.

Three variant forms of leg rest supporting linkage are disclosed in the application. The three forms all possess the common feature of being adapted to drive the leg rest from its fully retracted position into an extended leg sup- 3,094,353 Patented June 18, 1963 porting relationship with the chair seat by the motion of the chair seat relative to the base from the normal to intermediate reclined position. Each leg rest linkage includes a pair of pivotally connected cross links, one pivoted to the forward end of the chair seat and the other to the leg rest. In all three forms, a link pivoted at one end on a base member is pivotally connected to the cross link connected to the leg rest member and another link is pivoted to the seat connected cross link and to the leg rest to extend in substantially parallel relationship to that cross link pivotally connected to the leg rest. In the preferred form, a second link is pivoted at one end to a fixed pivot at the forward end of the base member and pivoted at its opposite end to the pivot which interconnects the two cross links to each other. In one modified form, the cross link pivoted to the seat is. constructed as one arm of a bell crank, the opposite bell crank arm being formed with a slot wit-bin which is slideably engaged a fixed pivot on the forward end of the base memher. In the third form, the link pivoted upon the base member is constructed as one arm of a bell crank whose opposite arm is interconnected by an additional link to the front chair seat supporting means for manipulation.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following specification and to the drawings.

'In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one form of reclining chair fixture embodying the invention, showing the fixture in its normal position;

FIG. 1a is a schematic side elevational view of a reclining chair employing the fixture of FIG. 1 and showing the basic parts of the chair in the position corresponding to the position of the fixture as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the fixture of FIG. 1 in an intermediate reclined position;

FIG. 2a is a schematic view similar to FIG. la showing the parts of the chair in their relative positions corresponding to the position of the fixture in FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the fixture of FIG. 1 in its fully reclined position;

FIG. 3a is a schematic view of a chair showing the parts in their relative positions corresponding to the fixture position of FIG. 3;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the fixture of FIGS. 1 through 3 in the FIG. 1 position;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a modified form of reclining chair fixture shown in an intermediate reclined position; and

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of still another modified form of reclining chair fixture shown in an intermediate reclined position.

Referring first to FIGS. vl through 3, the presently preferred form of invention includes a base link 10 which is adapted to be fixedly attached to the stationary base member B (FIG. la) of a reclining chair, as by suitably located mounting screws 12. A seat link 14, adapted to be fixedly attached to the seat S of the chair and a back link 16, adapted to be fixedly attached to the back rest BR of the chair are supported for movement upon base link 10 by link rneans to be described in greater detail below. The fourth basic member of the fixture is a leg rest link 18 which is adapted to be fixedly attached to the leg rest L of the chair.

Seat link 14 is supported upon base link It} by structure which includes a rear support link 20 mounted at its lower end upon a fixed pivot 22 adjacent the rearward end of base link 1! Rear support link 20 is limited in pivotal movement about fixed pivot 22 by a pair of spaced stop pins 24 and 26 on base link 10 which project from the base link into the path of movement of rear support link 20. A pivot 28 connects the upper end of rear support i 3 link 20 to seat link 14 at a location spaced somewhat forwardly from the rearward (left-hand) end of seat link 14. Seat link 14 is also supported upon base link 11 by a front support link means which includes a link 36 pivoted at its lower end upon a' fixed pivot 32 on base link 10. At the upper end of link 36, a pivot 34 connects link 30 to a bell crank 36 having a pair of arms 38 and 40 projecting from pivot 34. At the outer or distal end of arm 38, a pivot 42 connects bell crank 36 to seat link 14 at a location spaced forwardly from pivot 28. At the outer end of arm 4i? of bell crank 36, a pivot 44 connects the bell crank to one end of a control link 46 which is connected at its other end by a pivot 48 to back link 16 at a location somewhat above the lower end of the back link. A back pivot 51) connects the lower end of back link 16 to the rearward end of seat link 14.

The front support link means which includes link 30 and bell crank 36 maybe termed a compound link which, insofar as the seat link-base link relationship is concerned has an effective link length equal to the direct distance between pivots 32 and 42. The effective link length of the front support link means may be varied by swinging bell crank 36 about pivot 34, and this action is pri marily accomplished by control link 46 which acts to drive bell crank 36 about pivot 34 when back link 16 is pivoted about pivot 50 relative to seat link 14. This action is best seen by a comparison of FIGS. 2 and 3.

To apply a resilient constraint to motion of seat link 14 relative to base link 10, a tension spring 52 is connected between a bracket 54 on base link 19 and a second bracket 56 mounted on the forward end of seat link 14. The location of brackets 54 and 56 is such thattension spring 52 exerts a downward and rearward biasing force on the forward end of seat link 14 throughout its full range of movement.

The structure described thus far is common to all three embodiments of the invention, and in order to avoid repetition, the corresponding elements of the embodiments of FIGS. and 6 are identified with the same reference numerals, those reference numerals employed in FIG. 5 being primed and those reference numerals employed in FIG. 6 being double primed. The three embodiments shown in this application differ primarily in the structure for supporting and coordinating movement of leg rest 18, 18 or 18" with the movements of the seat and back link relative to the stationary base link.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 3,leg rest link 18 is supported by structure which includes a pair of cross links 58 and 60 which are pivotally connected to each other intermediate their ends by a pivot 62. One end of cross link 58 is mounted upon the forward end of seat link 14 by a pivot 64, while one end of the other cross link 60 is coupled to base link 16 by a control link 66 pivoted at one end upon a fixed pivot 68 on base link and pivoted at its other end to one end of cross link 60 by a pivot 70. The other end of cross link 66 is pivoted to leg rest link 18 by a pivot 72 and a second control link 74 is connected to leg rest link 18 by a pivot 76 and to the other end of cross link 58 by a pivot 78 so that link 74 extends in generally parallel relationship to cross link 60. The leg rest link-age described thus far is controlled and guided in movement relative to base link 16 by a third control link 80 mounted at one end upon a fixed pivot 82 adjacent the forward end of base link it). The opposite end of control link 80 is connected to both of cross links 58 and 60 by their connecting pivot 62.

In addition to the foregoing structure, two stops are provided in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 3. The first of these stops consists of a pin 84 on control link 80 which is engaged with one side of cross link 58 to define the retracted position of the linkage as in FIG. 1, and also serves as a supporting abutment to cross link 53 during movement of the leg rest linkage between the position of FIG. 1 and the position of FIG. 2.

To establish the extreme reclined position of back link 16 relative to seat link 14, a stop pin 86 on link 46 is 4 located to engage a downwardly projecting ear 88 fixedly mounted upon seat link 14 when the fixture is in the extreme reclined position of FIG. 3.

Operation of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 3 inclusive is as follows. Since the embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6 differ only in the manner of controlling the leg rest linkage, the following description is equally applicable to the embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6 as far as relative movement between seat link 14, back link 16 and base link 10 is concerned.

With the fixture in its normal rest position, shown in FIG. 1, seat link 14 is supported upon base link 10 to support the chair seat S in a substantially horizontal position while back link 16 is located to project in a substantially perpendicular relationship to seat link 14. In this position of the fixture, rear support link 20 is at its forward limit of movement about fixed pivot 22 on base link 16 and is engaged with stop pin 24 on the base link. Front seat link pivot 64 to which cross link 53 is pivoted, is located somewhat above and spaced forwardly of the fixture from fixed pivot 82 on base link 10. In this position, a reclining chair employing the fixture is in a normal position wherein the back is substantially upright and the leg rest is retracted to extend across the chair immediately below the front of seat S.

To shift the chair from the normal position of FIGS. 1 and 1a to the intermediate or semi-reclined position of FIGS. 2 and 2a, the occupant of the chair exerts a backward force against the seat and back rest. This action causes rear support link 20 to swing rearwardly about fixed pivot 22 while at the same time, link 30 of the front support link means is swung rearwardly about its fixed pivot 32 on base link 10. The motion of the seat between the normal and intermediate reclined positions may be referred to as motion in a first phase relative to the base in which the seat is swung concurrently about both of fixed pivots 22 and 32. From a comparison of FIGS. 1 and 2, it is seen that seat link 14 is displaced rearwardly of the chair from its normal position and is tilted downwardly at its rearward end to .a slightly inclined position relative to that of FIG. 1. During the first phase of movement, little or no relative pivotal movement between seat link 14 and back link 16 occursnote the relationship between bell crank 36 and seat link 14 in FIGS. 1 and 2. The front support link means constituted by link 30 and bell crank 36 acts to slightly increase the effective link length of the front support link means during this movement, the increased length eing occasioned by the rearward pivotal movement of link 30 about its fixed pivot while very little pivotal movement occurs between bell crank 36 and seat link 14 about pivot 42.

The foregoing motion of seat link 14 carries pivot 64 in an upward and rearwardly extending arc to pass above fixed pivot 82. This motion of pivot 64 enables link 58 to rotate control link from the substantially vertical normal position of FIG. 1 into a substantially horizontal position indicated in FIG. 2. This action elevates leg rest link 18 from the retracted position of FIG. 1 and concurrently swings leg rest link 18 from the substantially vertical position of FIG. 1 into a substantially horizontal leg supporting relationship with seat link 14. During this portion of the movement of the leg rest linkage, stop 84 remains in engagement with cross link 58.

When the fixture arrives in the intermediate reclined position of FIG. 2, rear support link 26 is engaged by stop 26 to prevent further rearward pivotal movement of link 20 about its fixed pivot 22. To move the fixture from the intermediate reclined position of FIG. 2 to the fully reclined position of FIG. 3, the occupant of the chair exerts a rearward force against the upper portion of the back rest which is transmitted to back link 16 in a direction urging back link 16 to pivot in a counterclockwise direction about pivot 50'.

This pivotal movement of back link 16 causes the back link to increase the angle between back link 16 and seat link 14 from the substantially perpendicular relationship of FIGS. 1 and 2 to the obtuse angular relationship of FIG. 3. This action carries control link 46 rearwardly which in turn drives bell crank 36 in clockwise pivotal movement about pivot 34, thus rotating bell crank 36 from the position of FIG. 2 into the position of FIG. 3. This action further increases the eifective link length of the front support link means and in so doing, drives seat link 14 in a second phase of movement in which the seat moves relative to the base in counter-clockwise pivotal movement about pivot 28 on the upper end of rear support link 20. In contrast to the first phase of movement, motion of the seat in its second phase of movement occurs entirely about a single stationary pivot. Engagement of stop pin 86 with ear 88 on seat link 14 establishes the final or extreme reclined position of the chair. During this latter movement, leg rest link 18 is further elevated from the FIG. 2 position and maintained in substantially the same relationship to seat link 14 by control link 80 which acts in compression during this phase of movement to constrain pivot 62 to move along an arc of fixed radius centered at fixed pivot 82.

In the FIG. 5 embodiment, leg rest link 18' is supported by a linkage which includes a pair of cross links 102, 104 which are pivotally connected between their ends by a cross link pivot 106. In the FIG. 5 embodiment, cross link 102 is defined by one arm of a bell crank designated generally 108 which is supported for pivotal movement about a pivot 110 on the forward end of seat link 14. A second arm 112 of bell crank 108 is formed with an elongate arcuate slot 114 which slideably receives a fixed pivot 116 on the forward end of base link One end of the other cross link 104 is pivoted to a control link 118 by a pivot 120, the other end of control link 11% being mounted upon a fixed pivot 122 adjacent the forward end of base link 10. The opposite end of cross link 104 is pivoted to leg rest link 18' by a pivot 124. An additional control link 126 is pivoted to leg rest link 18' by a pivot 128 and to the free end of link 102 by a pivot 130. The leg rest linkage of FIG. 5 is constructed with a stop to determine the contracted position of the leg rest linkage by the engagement between a stop pin 132 on base link 10 within a notch 134 at the distal end of arm 112 of hell crank 108. In this case, the lower end of slot 114, when engaged by fixed pivot 116 determines the extreme reclined position of the fixture.

The fixture of FIG. 5 is shown in a position corresponding to the intermediate reclined position of a chair as indicated in FIG. 2a. The normal position of the fixture of FIG. 5 corresponding to the normal chair position of FIG. 1a finds the seat link, back link and leg rest link of the fixture in FIG. 5 in the same relative positions to base link 10 as are the corresponding links of the fixture in FIG. 1. In this position, bell crank 108 is so located that cross link 102 of hell crank 108 is inclined downwardly and rearwardly from pivot 110 in substantially the same angular relationship to seat link 14' as that between cross link 58 and seat link 14 in FIG. 1. Fixed pivot 116 is seated at the same end of slot 114 as is shown in FIG. 5. During movement of the fixture between the normal and intermediate reclined positions, pivot 116 remains at that end of slot 114 at which it is located in FIG. 5 and by virtue of the path of movement of pivot 110, bell crank 108 is rotated about pivot 110 in a clockwise direction to swing the leg rest linkage outwardly and upwardly into the FIG. 5 position.

Movement of the fixture of FIG. 5 from the intermediate reclined position to a fully reclined position is accomplished in the same fashion as described in connection with the FIG. 1 embodiment; elevation of the forward portion of seat link 14' of the FIG. 5 embodiment causing arm 112 of hell crank 108 to move upwardly from the FIG. 5 position along a path determined by the sliding engagement between pivot 116 and slot 114. Relative motion between seat link 14', back link 16, and base link 10' is as described in connection with the FIG. 1 embodiment.

In the FIG. 6 embodiment, the leg rest supporting structure again consists of a pair of cross links and 142 pivotally connected to each other intermediate their ends by a cross link pivot 144. As in the previous cases, cross links 140 is supported at one end upon a pivot 146 on the front end of seat link 14", while one end of the other cross link 142 is connected by a pivot 148 to a link 150 mounted upon a fixed pivot 152 adjacent the forward end of base link 10". Cross link 142 is pivoted at its other end by a pivot 154 to leg rest link 18" and, as in the previous embodiments, a control link 156 is pivotally connected at one end by a pivot 158 to leg rest link 18" and at its opposite end to the outer end of cross link 140 by a pivot 160. As in the previous embodiments, link 156 extends substantially parallel to cross link 142.

In the FIG. 6 embodiment, link 150 is constructed as one arm of a bell crank designated generally 162 of which a second arm 164 is pivoted at its distal end to a link 166 by a pivot 168. The opposite end of link 166 is connected to control link 46" and bell crank 36 of the front support link means by the same pivot 44" which connects link 46" to bell crank 36".

Operation of the FIG. 6 embodiment is substantially the same as that described in connection with the embodiments of FIG 1 and FIG. 5 insofar as relative motion of the seat link and back link with respect to the base link is concerned. Because the FIG. 6 embodiment employs link 166 as part of the leg rest linkage actuating means, a stop pin 170 on bell crank 36" is located to engage the lower side of seat link 14". Motion of pivot 44 relative to base link 10" as in the previously described embodiments rotates bell crank 162 about its fixed pivot 152 in a direction achieving a coordination between the movement of the leg rest and other elements of the reclining chair substantially similar to the previously described embodiments.

While I have described certain exemplary embodiments of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the disclosed embodiments may be modified. Therefore, the foregoing description is to be considered exemplary rather than limiting, and the true scope of the invention is that defined in the following claims.

I claim.

1. A reclining chair fixture comprising a base member having a first fixed pivot adjacent its rearward end and a second fixed pivot spaced forwardly from said first fixed pivot, a seat member having a first seat pivot spaced forwardly from its rearward end and a second seat pivot spaced forwardly from said first seat pivot, a back member pivoted at its lower end upon a back pivot on said sea-t member at a location spaced rearwardly from said first seat pivot, rear support link means pivotally connected to both of said first pivots independently of said back member, front support link means pivotally connected to both of said second pivots, said front and said rear support link means extending upwardly from said fixed pivots to support said seat member for swinging movement between a substantially horizontal normal position and a downwardly and rearwardly inclined position displaced rearwardly from said normal position, stop means on said base member engagable with said rear support link means to define a rearward limit to swinging movement of said rear support link means about its fixed pivot, and a control link pivoted at spaced locations to said back member and to said front support link means at a location spaced from said second pivots for swinging said seat member about said first seat pivot when said stop means is engaged with said rear support link means and said back member is pivoted relative to said seat member about said back pivot.

2. A fixture as defined in claim 1 wherein said rear support link means comprises a single support link, said front support link means comprising a compound link pivoted to said control link at a location remote from the second fixed pivot and from the seat pivot of said front support link means.

3. A fixture as defined in claim 2 wherein said compound link comprises a first link pivoted at one end to said second fixed pivot, a bell crank pivotally mounted on the other end of said first link and having a pair of angularly related arms extending from the pivotal connection between said bell crank and said first link, one of said pair of arms being pivotally connected to said second seat pivot, and the other arm of said bell crank being pivotally connected to said control link.

4. A reclining chair fixture comprising a base member having a first fixed pivot adjacent its rearward end and a second fixed pivot spaced forwardly from said first fixed pivot, a seat member having a first seat pivot spaced forwardly from its rearward end and a second seat pivot spaced forwardly from said first seat pivot, a back member pivoted at its lower end upon a back pivot on the rearward end of said seat member at a location spaced rearwardly from said first seat pivot, a rear support link pivoted at its lower end on said first fixed pivot and pivoted at its upper end to said first seat pivot, front support links means pivotally connected at spaced points to said second fixed pivot and to said second seat pivot, said rear support link and said front support link means supporting said sea-t member for swinging movement between a substantially horizontal normal position and a downwardly and rearwardly inclined position displaced rearwardly from said normal position, a stop on said base member engageable with said rear support link to define a rearward limit of pivotal movement of said rear support link about said first fixed pivot, and a control link pivotally connected at one end to said back member at a location spaced above said back pivot and at its other end to said front support link means at a location spaced from said second pivot for swinging the forward portion of said seat member upwardly about said first seat pivot when said rear support link is engaged by said stop and said back member is pivoted rearwardly about said back pivot.

5. A reclining chair fixture comprising a base member having a first fixed pivot adjacent its rearward end and a second fixed pivot spaced forwardly from said first fixed pivot, a seat member having a first seat pivot spaced forwardly from its rearward end and a second seat pivot spaced forwardly from said first seat pivot, a back member pivoted at its lower end upon a back pivot on the rearward end of said seat member at a location spaced rearwardly from said first seat pivot, a rear support link pivoted at its lower end to said first fixed pivot and pivotally connected at its upper end to said first seat pivot, front support link means pivotally connected to both of said second pivots and having an effective link length equal to the distance between said second pivots, said front and said rear support link means supporting said seat member for swinging movement between a substantially horizontal normal position and a downwardly and rearwardly inclined position displaced rearwardly from said normal position, a stop on said base member engageable with said rear support link to define a rearward limit to pivotal movement about said first fixed pivot, and a control link connected to said back member at a location spaced above said back pivot and to said front support link means at a location spaced from both of said second pivots for increasing the effective link length of said front support link means when said rear support link is engaged with said stop means and said back member is pivoted rearwardly about said back pivot.

6. A three-position reclining chair fixture comprising a base member having a first fixed pivot adjacent the rearward end thereof, a second fixed pivot on said base member spaced forwardly from said first fixed pivot, a

seat member having a first seat pivot at its rearward end, a second seat pivot on said seat member spaced forwardly from said first seat pivot, a third seat pivot on said seat member spaced forwardly from second seat pivot, a first support link pivoted at its lower end upon said first fixed pivot and pivoted at its upper end on said second seat pivot, a second support link supported at its lower end on said second fixed pivot, a back member pivoted at its lower end on said first seat pivot, a control link pivotally connected at one end to said back member at a location spaced above said first seat pivot, link means pivotally mounted upon said third seat pivot interconmeeting the upper end of said second support link to the other end of said control link to gravitationally maintain said back member in a normal upright position relative to said seat member, stop means on said base member confining pivotal movement of said first support link about said first fixed pivot to movement between a first position wherein said seat member is supported in a substantially horizontal normal position and a second position wherein said seat member is supported in a rearwardly inclined semi-reclined position, said link means being operable upon rearward pivotal movement of said back member about said first seat pivot when said rear support link is in said second position to elevate said third seat pivot relative to said second seat pivot to swing said seat member into a fully reclined position.

7. A reclining chair fixture as defined in claim 6 wherein said link means comprises a bell crank having a first arm projecting forwardly from said third seat pivot, a. first bell crank pivot pivotally connecting the forward end of said first arm to the upper end of second support link, a second arm on said bell crank rigid with said first arm projecting downwardly from said first bell crank pivot, and a second bell crank pivot pivotally connecting the lower end of said second arm to the other end of said control link.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 further comprising a stop member on said control link engageable with said seat member to define an end limit of rearward pivotal movement of said back member about said first seat pivot (and thereby establish said fully reclined position of said seat member.

9. A reclining chair fixture comprising "a base member having a front fixed pivot and a rear fixed pivot, a seat member having a back pivot at its rearward end, a rear seat pivot on said seat member spaced forwardly from said back pivot, a front seat pivot on said seat member spaced forwardly from said rear seat pivot, a back mem ber pivotally mounted at its lower end on said back pivot, rear support link means mounted on said rear fixed pivot supporting said rear seat pivot for rotation between spaced angular end limits about said rear fixed pivot at a substantially constant radial distance therefrom, front support link means mounted on said front fixed pivot supporting said front seat pivot for rotation about said front fixed pivot at a substantially constant radial distance therefrom during rotation of rear seat pivot about rear fixed pivot, and means including a control link pivoted at one end to said back member at a location spaced above said back pivot and pivoted at its other end to said front support link means at a location spaced from said front fixed pivot and from said front seat pivot for maintaining said back member against pivotal movement about said back pivot during movement of said rear seat pivot about said rear fixed pivot, the last mentioned means being operable when said rear support link means is at one of said angular end limits to swing said seat member in pivotal movement about said rear seat pivot upon pivotal movement of said back member about said back pivot.

10. A reclining chair fixture as defined in claim 9 wherein said rear support link means comprises a single rigid link mounted at its lower end upon said rear fixed pivot and having its upper end pivotally connected to said seat member by said rear seat pivot, and spaced stop 9 means on said base member engageable with said rear support link means to define said spaced angular end limits.

11. A reclining chair fixture as defined in claim 9 wherein said front suport link means comprises a front support link pivotally mounted at its lower end upon said front fixed pivot, rigid link means pivotally connected at spaced points to said front seat pivot and to said other end of said control link, and a first pivot pivotally connecting the upper end of said front support link to said rigid link means at a location spaced forwardly from said front seat pivot.

12. A reclining chair fixture as defined in claim 9 wherein said rear support link means comprises a rigid link pivotally mounted at its lower end upon said rear seat pivot and pivotal-1y connected at its upper end to said rear seat pivot, stop means on said base member engageable with said rear support link to define said angular end limits of movement.

13. A reclining chair fixture as defined in claim 12 wherein said stop means engage one side of said rear support link to define a normal position of said fixture wherein said seat member extends in a substantially horizontal direction and said rear support link means is inclined upwardly and slightly rearwardly from said rear fixed pivot, said first pivot on said rigid link means being disposed above said front seat pivot when said fixture is in said normal position.

14. A reclining chair fixture as defined in claim 13 wherein movement of said fixture rearwardly from said normal position to a rearwardly inclined semi-reclined position shifts said rear support link from said one end limit to its opposite angular end limit wherein said rear seat link is rearwardly inclined at a substantial angular displacement from the vertical, movement of said seat member from said normal position to said semi-reclined position shifting said first pivot to a location rearwardly of said front fixed pivot, rearward tilting movement of said back member about said back pivot being operable when said rear support link is at said other of said other angular end limits to pivot said rigid link means about said first pivot in =a direction elevating said front seat pivot to thereby further increase the inclination of said seat member from said semi-reclined position, and stop means on said control link engageable with said seat member to limit reclining movement of said seat member and rearward tilting movement of said back member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,615,497 Luckhardt Oct. 28, 1952 2,888,978 Schliephacke June 2, 1959 2,890,743 Sohliephacke June 16, 1959 2,918,109 Schliephacke Dec. 22, 1959 2,918,113 Lorenz Dec. 22, 1959 2,921,624 Lorenz Jan. 19, 1960 2,940,509 Fletcher June 14, 1960 2,940,510 Sohliephacke June 14, 1960 2,964,095 Hoffman et al Dec. 13, 1960 

1. A RECLINING CHAIR FIXTURE COMPRISING A BASE MEMBER HAVING A FIRST FIXED PIVOT ADJACENT ITS REARWARD END AND A SECOND FIXED PIVOT SPACED FORWARDLY FROM SAID FIRST FIXED PIVOT, A SEAT MEMBER HAVING A FIRST SEAT PIVOT SPACED FORWARDLY FROM ITS REARWARD END AND A SECOND SEAT PIVOT SPACED FORWARDLY FROM SAID FIRST SEAT PIVOT, A BACK MEMBER PIVOTED AT ITS LOWER END UPON A BACK PIVOT ON SAID SEAT MEMBER AT A LOCATION SPACED REARWARDLY FROM SAID FIRST SEAT PIVOT, REAR SUPPORT LINK MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO BOTH OF SAID FIRST PIVOTS INDEPENDENTLY OF SAID BACK MEMBER, FRONT SUPPORT LINK MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO BOTH OF SAID SECOND PIVOTS, SAID FRONT AND SAID REAR SUPPORT LINK MEANS EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID FIXED PIVOTS TO SUPPORT SAID SEAT MEMBER FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT BETWEEN A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL NORMAL POSITION AND A DOWNWARDLY AND REARWARDLY INCLINED POSITION DISPLACED REARWARDLY FROM SAID NORMAL POSITION, STOP MEANS ON SAID BASE MEMBER ENGAGABLE WITH SAID REAR SUPPORT LINK MEANS TO DEFINE A REARWARD LIMIT TO SWINGING MOVEMENT OF SAID REAR SUPPORT LINK MEANS ABOUT 